Stephen Laffey on Energy & Oil

Republican Senate Challenger

Need a new national energy policy to fight the War on Terror

Bush and the elected leaders in Washington including Chafee have failed us especially since 2001 because they haven't told us exactly how to win the War on Terror. We need a new national energy policy the likes of putting a man on the moon and all be
involved in it. Not one state saying one thing & another state saying another thing. Every time the price of a barrel of oil goes up another dollar, Iran takes more of that money and recycles it to terrorists like Hezbollah. That's where we need to stop.

Drives an SUV & considers expanding mass transit unrealistic

Chafee advocates mass transit as a means to reduce gas consumption, but Laffey-who drives an SUV and recently bought a gas-guzzling RV to transport his wife and five children on the campaign trail-dismissed that as unrealistic. People will change their
behavior when there's an economic incentive to do so, Laffey said.

Laffey says, "People in America are used to being mobile. Jimmy Carter lost re-election by telling people to put on a sweater and lower the thermostat."

Source: M.L. Johnson, Associated Press, in Boston Globe
Apr 29, 2006

Economic incentives to reduce oil-funded Islamofacism

Laffey says that people will change their behavior when there's an economic incentive to do so. Laffey said the administration needs a program to reduce use of foreign oil because money from those sales fuels what he calls "Islamofacism."
He would subsidize the production of solar and wind power and increase tax breaks for consumers who buy hybrids and install solar and other renewable energy systems in their homes.

Source: M.L. Johnson, Associated Press, in Boston Globe
Apr 29, 2006

Significant national commitment to renewable energy

A great challenge faces all Americans - eliminating our dependence on foreign oil. Washington politicians choose to stand side-by-side with special interests, not only ignoring the concerns of Americans, but fostering policies that reinforce a major
foundation of those fears - America's dependence on foreign oil. Beltway insiders continue to encourage Middle Eastern oil moguls. They do this through corporate welfare programs and special interest tax breaks. They are repeatedly denying entrepreneurs
and fledgling American companies on the brink of freeing the United States from its oil dependence, the opportunity to do so. High paying jobs are moving to other countries whose governments have recognized the importance of alternative energy solutions.

A significant national commitment to a renewable energy program is one of only a few policy tools that would deliver a long lasting impact on multiple fronts encompassing our domestic welfare, geopolitical standing, and national security.

Source: Press release, "Renewable Energy"
Dec 19, 2005

Raise CAFE and offer tax credits for hybrids

Our plan calls for increasing the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards - an idea that is not new, but needs to be re-instituted. It calls for major, simple tax credits for electric hybrids. It calls for "permanent" (i.e. 20 year)
tax credits for renewable power producers. And it calls for a major tax credit increase (from 30% to 90%) for purchases of renewable energy systems.